【77】Breaking News

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After we'd debated it for a few hours, Lex and I decided to leave New York

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After we'd debated it for a few hours, Lex and I decided to leave New York. First, because it was better if we were far from here when the whole thing blew up. Second, we hadn't been in Seattle in over seven weeks, and we both longed to be home, to return to our normal lives.

So, shortly after we'd sent Agent Lewis the 'anonymous' tip, we said goodbye to the luxurious suite Evora had generously lent us. That also meant we were parting with our security detail. The only one I'd actually grown to know and appreciate was Hank, so I gave him a tight hug and offered him a huge box of fancy candies, to satisfy his sweet tooth.

As we flew back to Seattle, the pressure we'd been under faded. But since we weren't quite done yet, some of it lingered with us, the awareness of the danger ever-present.

With all the time we'd spent away in the past few months, home almost felt foreign when we entered, pulling our suitcases behind us. Especially for me, since I hadn't really gotten to live there for long. After all, I'd gotten shot on the very day I'd officially moved in, and we'd then been abroad, hiding in Canada, and then New York after a brief halt here.

Mary didn't feel like a stranger, though, and I was happy to hear her synthetic voice again, as if she'd been a dearly missed friend. After we'd put our things away, it took us a moment to be familiar with the place again. Just like the week before, there wasn't anything we could do but wait. So we did that, in the comfort of our home. As we'd done in Canim Lake, we played board games and occupied our days with one another, or separately.

It was incredibly tempting to go out, to meet with friends who were right there, miles away. But I fought the urge to tell anyone we were back in Seattle, for fear that it would only add to the temptation. Mason would most surely drag me into some wild nocturnal adventure. As soon as Lewis would carry out her mission, as soon as Lex and I were safe again, I would, though.

So, instead of following my desire for physical interactions, I texted and called, as I'd been doing the whole time. Kate and I even had a three-hour-long phone call one afternoon, where I'd listened as she'd complained about Tyler's last antics. He wanted them to buy a home, still dead-set on starting a family soon. But Kate was very proud of her current house – she'd always been – and it would take some convincing to make her agree to sell it. Since I was right in the middle of it, I didn't take part, especially since Ty was also texting me about it. But like a true mediator, I managed to appease some of the tension, and got them to agree to let it rest for a moment.

I couldn't wait to be able to tell her everything that had been going on in my life. For her own sake, so she wouldn't worry about me, I'd tried to keep it all under wraps. But Ty knew what was going on, and there was no way to tell if he'd spilled the tea or not. She probably would have told me if he had. But as soon as Lewis would have accomplished her mission, I'd come clean and tell her everything, in long and thorough details.

We endured eight days like this. Over a week of radio silence. Lewis didn't call us for updates, which was something we'd discussed, as it could compromise the case. And because she was working as discreetly as she could, we didn't find anything to keep up informed of her advances. So we were in the dark, unable to tell if things were going well or not, fearful complications might occur.

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